A variety of lint removal devices and methods of making such lint removal devices are known. Lint removal devices remove lint and other small particles or contaminants, such as hair or threads, from a surface, such as clothing. One known form of a lint removal device includes lint removal tape, which is used while still on a roll to remove lint and other small particles from the surface. In roll form, lint removal tape is typically wound on a core with the adhesive side of the tape wound outwardly for use. The lint removal tape roll is rolled against the surface to remove the lint and other small particles or contaminants from the surface. The lint, small particles and other contaminants adhere to the adhesive side of the lint removal tape. When the outer wrap of the lint removal tape is saturated with the lint, small particles and other contaminants, the outer wrap of the tape is removed from the roll to discard it. A roll of lint removal tape is generally used on an applicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,921 (Wood et al.), “Applicator for a Coreless Tape Roll,” describes an applicator for a lint removal device that includes a handle portion connected to a tape-receiving portion. The tape-receiving portion includes a tape-receiving surface, an inner lip, a tapered outer lip, and grooves adjacent the lips. This patent also describes a roll of lint removal tape. In column 2, lines 41-43 of the patent, the lint removal tape is described as including a backing that could be made of backing material which is compostible or degradable, could be colored, could be printed, or could be of different surface textures or embossed, without providing any additional details as to which side is embossed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,038 (Wood), “Progressively Perforated Tape Roll,” describes a tape including a backing layer and an adhesive layer formed on the backing layer. A plurality of lines of perforations extend across the tape to separate the tape into sheets. The sheets have progressively increasing lengths such that when the sheets are wound into a roll, each sheet is longer than the sheet underneath it. When in a roll, the outermost sheet covers all of the lines of perforations to reduce instances of the tape tearing in a downweb direction.
Other lint removal devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,695, U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,014, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,300, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,465, U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,337, U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,201, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,578.
3M Company based in St. Paul, Minn. has sold lint rollers and roller refills in a variety of sizes under the brand name “3M” under part numbers 836, 837, and 833. These “regular size” lint rolls have typically included an inner diameter of 1.76 inches (4.47 cm), an outer diameter in the range of 1.8 inches (4.57 cm) to 2.5 inches (6.35 cm), and a width of 4 inches (10.16 cm). The mini lint rolls, sold under 3M brand, part number 836, typically have an inner diameter of 0.89 inches (2.26 cm), an outer diameter of 1.1 inches (2.79 cm), and a width of 3 inches (7.62 cm).
Helmac Products Corporation, based in Flint, Mich. has sold lint adhesive rollers and adhesive roller refills in a variety of sizes under the brand name “Evercare.” These lint rolls including the core have typically included an inner diameter of 1.5 inches (3.81 cm), an outer diameter in the range of 1.6 in. (4.06 cm) to 2.4 in. (6.1 cm), and a width of 4 inches (10.16 cm). Helmac Products Corporation also has sold mini-lint rolls, sold typically as a “Trial Size Roll”, which have typically included an inner diameter of 0.84 inches (2.13 cm), an outer diameter of 1.0 inches (2.54 cm), and a width of 3 inches (7.62 cm).
PCT publication WO 96/40578 A1 “Coreless Adhesive Tape Winding Mandrel and Method,” (Ogren et al.), describes a method and apparatus for forming a plurality coreless rolls of pressure sensitive adhesive tape, formed simultaneously, involving the use of a mandrel assemblies having a specific circumferential tape supporting segment thereon for winding tape. The circumferential tape supporting segments have a tape engaging surface portion that, in a radial orientation, is compressible yet sufficiently stiff to support the tape as it is successively wound about the mandrel to form a tape roll, and that is sufficiently pliant to permit ready axial removal of a wound tape roll from the mandrel. The innermost wrap of pressure sensitive adhesive tape about the mandrel is masked by an adhesive liner. Multiple rotatably driven winding mandrels are advanced through successive stations by a turret assembly. The functional aspects of the five mandrel stations include a mandrel loading position, a ready position, a winding position, a transfer position, and a mandrel unloading position. When winding of a roll upon a mandrel is nearly complete, the turret assembly advances the mandrel from the winding position to the transfer position. Once the leading edge of the adhesive liner is detected, an enveloper assembly pivots to envelop the web of tape around the mandrel at the winding position and a knife assembly, opposite the enveloper assembly, also pivots towards the web of tape material. The tape web is held in tension by the enveloper and knife assemblies, which are merged together around the winding mandrel. A knife blade extends from the knife assembly and severs the tape web at the leading edge of the adhesive liner, thus creating the innermost wrap of a new coreless roll of tape. System control is preferably achieved through the use of a microprocessor which is operatively coupled to the various motors and actuators.
There are also various patents describing apparatuses and method for forming tape rolls. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,391, “Tape Roll Liner/Tab Application Apparatus and Method,” (Cram et al.), describes a method and apparatus for longitudinally advancing a web having pressure sensitive adhesive on a first side and providing a supply of liner/tab strip. Then advancing the liner/tab strip from the supply laterally across the longitudinally advancing web adjacent the first, adhesive bearing side. The breaking the liner/tab strip to a length approximating the lateral width of the web, and urging a leading lateral edge portion of the cut liner/tab strip against the first adhesive bearing side of the advancing web to cause adherence to the adhesive side of the web. Finally urging the remainder of the cut liner/tab strip against the advancing web as the web carries the liner/tab strip away longitudinally. The method further comprises: periodically repeating the advancing, breaking and both urging steps as the web is advanced past the supply of liner/tab strip. Pressure sensitive adhesive tape wound with its adhesive side out requires no liner on innermost wrap to prevent adhesive from engaging winding mandrel, since non-adhesive side of tape faces winding mandrel. Thus, it is contemplated that no liner be provided for innermost wrap, in which instance adhesion by wrapping about winding mandrel would begin with second wrap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,544, “Tape Roll Liner/Tab Application Apparatus and Method,” (Cram et al.), describes a process for sequentially forming a plurality of coreless rolls of pressure sensitive adhesive tape comprising the steps of: longitudinally advancing a web having first and second major surfaces, one surface thereof bearing pressure sensitive adhesive thereon, applying a liner/tab across a lateral width of the advancing web on the adhesive-bearing surface thereof, winding the advancing web about a mandrel member to define a tape roll, whereby an innermost wrap of the web for each tape roll includes an extent of the liner/tab sufficient to mask any exposed adhesive, and breaking the liner/tab and web laterally into two segments, a first segment of the liner/tab defining said extent for one tape roll, and a second segment of the liner/tab defining a mask for adhesive along at an outermost end portion of a web for a previously wound tape roll.